Fishermen Urge Yucatán Authorities to Clear ‘Boat Cemeteries’ in Progreso

Progreso, Yucatán — Fishermen and boat owners are urging local authorities to implement a regularization program to clear abandoned and derelict vessels from the town’s safe harbors and fishing refuges, an issue they say has turned some areas into “boat cemeteries.”

According to boat owners, who asked to remain anonymous, the need for such action has been raised for years. They are asking officials to identify and remove boats that remain moored for long periods without engaging in fishing or any other productive activity.

The owners say these derelict vessels take up space that could be used by active boats, leading to overcrowding in the harbors. Some abandoned boats, they noted, have been turned into floating storage areas or are used for purposes unrelated to fishing, which adds to safety and security concerns.

The fishing community believes the prolonged presence of these boats also harms the image and condition of the refuges, while reducing capacity to accommodate working vessels during fishing seasons. Any cleanup effort, they say, should follow regulations and rely on an updated registry to determine which boats are active, temporarily out of service, or truly abandoned.

Removing the dozens of inactive vessels would free up space and improve order in the ports, the fishermen said.